The Art of Sabotage
by The Real Weasley Twins
Summary: As Ginny is ushered into her 5th year at Hogwarts TheBoyWhoLived is becoming more attractive everyday, and an old crush resurfaces. But when an unexpected girlfriend comes along, Ginny turns to a mysterious book for answers and masters the Art of Sabotage
1. An Unforgettable Kiss

Ginny hopped onto her hand-me-down broomstick and kicked off. As the wind rushed through her hair, she let out a squeal of delight- it was her first time on the quidditch pitch since Hogwarts had resumed for her fifth year.

Her shouts and hollers of enthusiasm echoed throughout the empty stadium. Ginny had arrived a few minutes early for tryouts to get reacquainted with her broom.

"Having fun?" A voice said from the bottom of the stadium. It startled Ginny so much she almost fell off her broom, but she flipped around with skill to look at the offender. As her eyes caught site of the boy, the new captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team, a smile spread across her face. She flew down to the bottom of the pitch, stopped right in front of him, and dismounted her broom.

"Now, as captain of the quidditch team, I think that I'm supposed to be the first one in the pitch," Harry said, smiling once again.

"Well, I guess I beat you too it then," Ginny said enthusiastically, "and anyway, I want to be in top shape for the tryouts." With that she jumped back on her broom.

"I don't think you'll have a problem with that," Ginny heard Harry mumble to himself. Knowing that he was still watching her, Ginny began to fly faster, adding in sharper turns. _It could never hurt to impress the captain, now could it?,_ she thought to herself, grinning.

"So…" Ginny began, but was interrupted by another female voice.

"Hello, Harry," Katie Bell said as she strolled onto to pitch, broom in hand.

Ginny watched in awe as Katie wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and lightly tapped her lips to his. She flew lower to the ground and tried to dismount. In an ungraceful attempt to move swiftly, she tripped on her robes and tumbled to the ground.

"Oh my goodness, Ginny," Katie shouted, throwing her hand over her mouth and running towards the pile of school robes on the ground.

Ginny rolled onto her back and looked up into the sky. _What did I just see?_ Ginny thought. She couldn't have cared less whether all her limbs were still attached to her body, she just couldn't believe her eyes. _Harry is dating Katie Bell?_ _Why didn't Ron tell me?! Why didn't anybody tell me? Wait, why do you care so much?_ This last notion came from another part of Ginny's mind.

But Ginny's train of thought was interrupted as two pairs hands reached for her arms, Katie took her right side and Harry took the left.

"Are you alright Ginny?" Harry asked, his voice full of concern.

"Fine," Ginny replied, "just fine. I suppose I just got a little dizzy. A few to many turns on the broom." Ginny gave a half-hearted smile towards Harry.

The awkward moment was stifled as a group of Gryffindor students came running onto the pitch for the tryouts; the stadium began to flood. Both Harry and Katie quickly let go of Ginny to organize the haphazardly arranged students.

In a trance, Ginny headed for the large group of students. She shook her head, trying to concentrate on the tryouts, but reminding herself to find Ron later.

"Alright," Ginny heard Harry say in the back of her mind, "everybody get on your brooms and kick off." Suddenly Ginny felt a jab in the side. She looked up to see her older brother Ron giving her a hard look.

"You're going to have to move if you want to make the team, you know." Ron said sarcastically.

"And you're going to need to know how to fly to tryout," Ginny retorted as she jabbed Ron in the shoulder.

"Oh, very funny," Ron replied as he mounted his broom and kicked off, heading towards Harry.

"Boys," Ginny mumbled while shaking her head and mounting her broom. She kicked off with ease, still hurting from her awkward fall, and flew to the middle of the pitch.

"All right, everyone," Harry called, motioning the pack of Gryffindor students towards the center of the arena, "We're going to split you up. Everyone trying out for chaser, follow Katie to the south end of the pitch, and the rest of you, follow me." Harry flew to the north end of the stadium with a half of the pack following.

Ginny grudgingly flew behind Katie, trying not to focus on the arms that were just wrapped around one of her best friends.

"Ginny? Ginny." Ginny snapped her head around to focus on Katie. "Ginny, are you all right? You look a little pale. Are you sure you can tryout today?"

"Oh," Ginny replied, not quite sure of what she should say, "I'm fine. I just thought I saw… um… a … bird."

Katie gave her a funny look and tilted her head. "Oh, er," now Katie was the one who seemed lost for words, "okay. Back to the tryouts. We'll go in alphabetical order. Elizabeth, you're up first."

A tall girl with dirty blonde hair flew to the front of the group with a determined face. One after another the students tried to impress Katie, while Ginny sat on her uncomfortable broom, Harry's kiss with Katie still lingering on her mind.

"Ginny!" A voice shouted. "You're next." Ginny flew swiftly trying to focus on the quaffle, but her mind didn't want to stay put. She was doing spectacular, making every pass and every shot. She seemed to be at the top of her game and after making yet another goal, she rejoiced with a grin and turned around only to be met by a bludger to the forehead.



Ginny slowly opened her burning eyes to reveal a set of green ones staring into them. A silly grin spread across her bruised face at the site of Harry.

"Ginny!" Harry exclaimed, a smile spreading across his face. "I'm so glad you're all right!" Harry leaned forward and draped his arms around Ginny. She sat there, stunned, while a strange but protective warmth spread through her.

"Oh, good!" Ginny heard a female voice say. With these words, Harry practically leaped away from Ginny, bringing the warmth with him.

"Hi, Katie," Ginny said, trying to keep all traces of annoyance from spilling into her voice.

"I'm so happy you're awake! You took quite a fall you know, I thought you'd never wake up! Then we'd be missing one of our new chasers. That's right, you made the team. I thought you deserved to know that after you took such a beating." Katie said, smiling.

"Great," Ginny said with a half-hearted smile. _Really great, now I get to spend even _more _time with the two of you, _Ginny thought, her grin becoming tighter.

"Out! Out!" Madame Pomfrey screamed pointing to the door, eyes blazing. Katie and Harry just about jumped out of the hospital wing before saying a quick goodbye.

Madame Pomfrey gave Ginny some fowl smelling potion before letting her go to dinner, reminding her that it may make her a bit drowsy.



The Great Hall smelled fantastic as Ginny wandered in near the end of dinner. She plopped herself down next to Hermione, who inquired about the strange happenings of the day.

"I'll tell you when we get back up to the common room. I've lost my appetite anyway." Ginny sighed, pushing her plate away.

When dessert was finished, Hermione and Ginny, along with most of the Great Hall, stood up and went to their common rooms. When they arrived, Hermione walked right over to a couch near the fire, sat down, and patted the other side of the couch. Ginny walked over and took a seat.

"Now, start from the beginning," Hermione said.

Ginny told her the whole story from the surprise greeting at the quidditch tryouts to the awkward situation in the hospital wing.

"… and the worst part is, I really don't know how I feel about Harry dating Katie." Ginny sighed and looked at Hermione for a response.

"Well…" Ginny knew there was something Hermione wasn't telling her.

"What?" Ginny asked, perplex. "Wait, you knew," Ginny said, her eyes getting wider, "and you didn't tell me?"

"Look, Ginny, I wasn't sure if you were over Harry yet. I didn't want you find out this way, but I thought that I could tell you sometime later. Katie asked Harry out just a month ago. Ron told me." Hermione explained.

"Hold on," Ginny said, trying to digest all the information at once, "why… who… what do you mean I'm not over Harry? I haven't liked him since my second year. I've told you tons of times Harry is just my friend, nothing more, just a friend. It's just… Katie Bell? He's dating Katie Bell of all people? They just don't seem right for each other!"

"Now really, Ginny. Listen to yourself. You sound like a jealous girlfriend." Hermione said knowingly.

"Look, Hermione, I do not like Harry again!" Ginny said, bringing her fist onto the couch. Hermione raised her eyebrows at her.

"Oh, all right," Ginny sighed, "maybe I like him a little." Hermione raised her eyebrows even farther. "Okay, so a little more than a little. A lot! What am I going to do?" Ginny shoved her face into the sofa cushion behind her and wanted to scream.

"Look, you're just going to have to tell him." Ginny lifter her head out of the pillow and Hermione gave her a knowing look, but didn't push the point any further.

"I don't want to think about it any more." Ginny yawned. "I need to focus. I've had no time to do any work because of my little trip to the infirmary, and now I have to go to the library."

"Do you need any help?" Hermione asked sympathetically.

"No. Thanks for the talk." Ginny said.

"Any time." Hermione responded. Ginny began to walk away. "Oh, and Ginny?"

"Yes?" Ginny replied.

"You really should confront him." Hermione said.

"I know. G'night" Ginny said, and she walked out of the common room.



Ginny had just finished the scrolls sprawled across her desk in the library, but still felt as if the work was not finished. She still had the long hike through the library to put all her textbooks away.

As she was putting away _Creatures of the Deep _for her Defense Against the Dark Arts class, a book caught her eye. She wandered over to a shelf that revealed a mysterious looking book with dark red lettering. Ginny dug her hand deep into the bookshelf and pulled out an unfamiliar title: _Scheming and the Art of Sabotage._ The book seemed well worn and out of place.

Ginny flipped through it, finding a few ideas to be quite useful. She suddenly lifted her head as a thought came to her.

"This book could come in handy," she said aloud. A devious smile crept across her face. Ginny grabbed her bag, stuffed the new book into it, and walked out of the library. "Maybe even for my present predicament."


	2. Let the Games Begin

Ginny slowly opened her eyes to the bright sunlight streaming though the small crack left in the burgundy curtains. As she got out of bed, hair knotted and pajamas askew, her foot fell onto something hard. Looking down she read "Scheming and the Art of Sabotage". Smiling to herself, she picked it up and repeated the action of the previous night by leafing through it.

Flipping to the table of contents in the front, she read the five main titles: Fighting Friends, Teacher Treachery, Parental Problems, Belligerent Boys, and Deceitful Damsels. Unintentionally, Ginny turned to page six where all the subjects under Belligerent Boys were listed.

_Cheaters/ Liars- page 212_

_Backstabbing- page234_

_Jealous Rage- page 275_

_Unfaithful Boyfriend- page 299_

_Boyfriend Stealing- page 322_

Ginny ran her finger down the list, "Jealous Rage" catching her eye. On instinct, she looked around the empty dormitory to make sure no one was near. In a rush, the redhead flipped to page 275 and began reading the introduction.

_Is your friend in romantic bliss while you're sitting on the sidelines missing out? Well, here are new ways for you to deal with your jealousy. You've already begun the healing process by admitting to the green monster, now you can defeat it through Sabotage!_

Ginny's eyes widened as she flipped furiously through the chapter. _Wow, I'd never think of using an octopus in that way,_ Ginny thought as she read about the various ways using sea creatures to disrupt dates.

As Ginny's page-turning became faster, she found herself stopping on page 343.

_**Date Sabotage- New looks for the new girlfriend**_

_Many women struggle with competition that is on a higher rung of the social ladder. One easy way to lower her appeal is to change her seemingly perfect image. Show what she's really like behind that wad of mascara. _

It followed by giving a list of incantations to perform on one's said rival. As the lengthy list seeped into her mind, she heard footsteps in the distance and snapped the book shut.

There was a knock on the door.

"Ginny?" A voice called.

Quickly pulling on her uniform, Ginny answered ,"Yes?"

Hermione popped her head in. "Just checking I didn't miss you. Are you ready for breakfast?" Hermione asked, her confusion showing as she looked at Ginny's disheveled state.

"Oh, um…. yeah." Ginny replied, brushing her hair quickly as she glanced in the mirror. "All set."

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When Hermione and Ginny arrived, the Great Hall was already packed with students, leaving few open seats. After scanning the room with her eyes for just a second, Ginny felt Hermione grab her hand, and dart down the Hall.

"C'mon!" Hermione said, "I see a spot, and by the looks of it, it's practically the only one left." In a storm of bushy brown hair, Ginny was pushed down onto the hard bench and was kicked by Hermione as she flipped her legs over the bench with less grace than Hermione was known to have.

"Hello!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Hello, Hermione!" Said a familiar female voice. As her leg slowly began to bruise, Ginny rubbed it and turned around on the bench. Once fully rotated, her eyes fell on a familiar face, but not one Ginny was about to connect with nice words. "Ginny! How are you feeling? Oh my goodness, what happened to your ankle?" Katie asked, genuinely concerned. She stood up slightly, but was being weighed down by the arm that was around her waist. Ginny followed the arm up, waiting to meet its owner. _Here's the bicep. Oh my, quite strong. Now the shoulder, very broad and sturdy. The neck, ear, scar……. Harry. _She looked into the eyes of one of her best friends, and tried not to scowl. He gave her a questioning look and Ginny turned to the others. All were giving her confused glances. It took Ginny a moment to realize that she had just gawked at her friend right in front of his girlfriend.

"Um…sorry…thinking." Ginny tried to say. Which was entirely true, except the main thought on her mind was how to win the boy who was sitting just across the table.

It seemed that everyone accepted the excuse and moved back to eating breakfast, well, almost everyone.

"Thinking about what?" Hermione whispered to her, raising one eyebrow.

"Oh, um, you know, _stuff_. Stuff that we may have already discussed." Ginny said, giving her a pointed look. Hermione seemed to take the hint and dropped the subject at once, but Ginny knew that it would come up at a later time.

Trying to ignore everything but her eggs, Ginny _happened_ to overhear the conversation that Harry and Katie were having.

"So," Katie's voice floated across the table, "the Hogsmeade trip is coming up this weekend and I think that we should go to Madame Puddifoots and enjoy a nice, cozy lunch. How does that sound?" Ginny could almost imagine the disgustingly huge smile Katie had on her face.

"Um, yeah, that sounds great, Kat." Ginny finally forced herself to look up at the sound of Harry's words and saw Harry with a grin on his face as well. She stared at him for a little while longer, letting her thoughts drift again. _Wow, he really is handsome. But why would he want to go to Madame Pudifoots? Especially after last year with Cho and everything. See, she doesn't even know him like I do._ Another scowl forming on her face, she continued her silent rant. But what she didn't seem to notice was that everyone was staring at her again.

"Um, Ginny, are you alright?" Harry asked with a frightened look on his face.

Ginny, coming out of her reverie, realized that she had done it again. "Oh, um yes, quite alright, I was just, you know, thinking again. Um, yes, I have to go, sorry." She quickly got up, knocking a glass of pumpkin juice over, and exited the hall.

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Ginny, pacing in front of her bed, didn't know what to do. Hermione had tried to talk to her, but Ginny did not want to talk to someone, she wanted to do something.

"I mean, isn't it fate that they said the exact location of their date right in front of me?" Ginny asked, her pacing quickening. "Yes, yes it is fate. Definitely." Ginny tried to assure herself. "So, what to do…." Ginny suddenly stopped pacing. Another mischievous smile came across her face as she ran out of the dormitory. She slid down the stairs, yelling a "hello" to a fellow fifth year, cut the corner at the end of the stairs, and ran up the stairs to the boys' dormitory.

Looking to the floor as she passed a group of second years, she ran farther up the corridor until she reached the sixth years' dormitory. She darted in and immediately saw Harry's bed in the corner by the window. She briskly walked over to it, and opened up his trunk. She looked inside, found the item she was looking for, and yanked it out. She turned around, but her eyes were met with another pair of a darker shade.

"Ginny? What're you doing in here?" Neville asked, a Herbology (sp?) book in hand.

Ginny, startled by the sudden interruption, stumbled with her response, "Um… looking for Ron." Ginny shoved the item behind her back, and inched her way out of the room. "But I can see he's not here. So, I'll just be going then." Ginny said. She turned around, flipped the item to her front, and ran out of the room, feeling Neville's eyes on her back the whole way.

Ginny continued her mission and ran all the way back to her own dormitory, invisibility cloak in hand.

"Perfect…" Ginny said to herself, looking down at the cloak.

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"Ready to go, Ginny?" Hermione called into the dormitory.

"Yes." Ginny replied, rushing out of the room, a large bag in hand, holding not only some money for butterbeer, but also a fairly large invisibility cloak.

Hermione, throwing an awkward glance at Ginny's bag, said, "Well, come on then! We have to go soon, or we'll be late!"

"Yes, of course," Ginny said. She had been planning to go early so that she wouldn't miss Harry or Katie, but lost track of time. She walked over to Hermione and they hurried out.

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When they had finally arrived at Madame Rosmerta's, Ginny and Hermione found seats in the overly crowed pub. But Ginny could hardly call herself social on this particular day, because she only had one thing on her mind.

"Ginny, are you alright?" Hermione asked.

"I'm fine, Hermione," Ginny responded. "I'm just fine…… oh, actually," an idea began to form in Ginny's mind, "I'm feeling a little sick, I think I should go back to the castle."

"Oh, no, Ginny! Here," Hermione stood up and offered Ginny her hand, "I'll take you back to the castle.

"No!" Ginny yelled, obviously startling Hermione, "I mean, no, thanks, but I can manage. Why don't you stay here, I think I see Ron and Neville over there in the corner, you should go join them. Trust me, I'll be fine. I need time to think things over anyway." Though Hermione seemed to not believe Ginny, she allowed Ginny to exit alone. But when Ginny walked out of the pub, instead of turning right to head back to the castle, she took a sharp left and headed towards Madame Pudifoot's.

Ginny quickly leaped behind a pole and threw the invisibility cloak over her head. Walking into Madame Pudifoot's behind another person, Ginny slipped into a corner, scanning the highly decorated tea parlor. Finally, her eyes rested on a couple sitting together in a corner. Ginny wandered over to them and stood in front of the table, gaping at the lone milkshake in between them, two straws sticking out.

Not sure what to do next, Ginny crouched next to Katie, and tried to remember some of the suggestions from _Scheming and the Art of Sabotage_.

Ginny watched as Harry pushed the drink towards Katie so that she could have more. An idea struck Ginny. When the drink looked close enough, Ginny whispered "Diffindo" and pointed her wand at the glass. Immediately, the glass broke in half, and the creamy drink spilled all over Katies lilac dress.

"Oh my!" Katie screamed.

Harry practically jumped across the table, trying to stop the rest of the drink from spilling off the table. "Kat!" Harry yelled. "Kat, I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened!"

"It's alright." Katie said, trying to regain her composure.

"Here," Harry said while getting up, "I'll get some napkins." He returned with an enormous pile of napkins. "Here," Harry said again, and he reached across the table and started lightly dabbing around Katie's face. Katie smiled at Harry and they both started laughing.

_Oh fantastic, _Ginny thought, _I've just helped them get closer._ Another idea popped into Ginny's head. She whispered "evanesco" and pointed her wand at the pile of napkins. Suddenly, they disappeared. At that moment, Harry reached to the side of the table without looking in attempt to grab more napkins. And snapped his head to see for himself that the napkins had gone.

"Huh, that's odd….." he said.

"Don't you worry about it," Katie said, placing the palm of her hand to the side of Harry's face, "I'll just run to the ladies room. I'll be back in a second."

"Alright," Harry said, frustration running into his voice. He reluctantly let go of Katie's hand, which had been in his own the whole time.

Katie slowly got up from the table, turned around, and headed toward the bathrooms. Ginny followed her with her eyes the whole way. When Katie disappeared into the bathroom, Ginny turned around to leave. But a strong hand landed on her shoulder, and pulled her backwards.

"Dean," Harry began to say, "I know you really like Katie, but why are you doing this?" Harry grabbed the edge of the cloak and pulled it off the redhead.

Ginny, who had turned the color of her hair, said nothing, but looked into the bright green eyes of the boy she liked. Guilt forced her to drop her head.

As comprehension dawned on his face, Harry let out an exasperated gasp, "Ginny?"


	3. Guilt

Ginny continued staring into the green eyes that were full of confusion and hurt.

"Ginny!" A voice called from across the cafe. Ginny turned her head and saw Katie returning to the table, still looking a little disheveled. Harry snapped his head in Katie's direction and then back in Ginny's.

He threw the invisibility cloak over Ginny and whispered in a rather loud voice, "Go!" Ginny, in a trance, followed Harry's directions and headed out of Madam Puddifoot's. She walked out the door and turned left then hiked through the snow to the window right by Harry and Katie's table. Pressing her ear to the cold glass, she listened as Katie sat down.

"I thought I saw Ginny here, at the table?" Katie said, obvious question in her voice.

"She was, but just to give me a message from Ron," Harry lied smoothly.

"Oh, why'd she leave so fast?" Katie asked.

"She was meeting Hermione later. But it really doesn't matter anyway," Harry said, silently telling Katie to drop the matter.

"You're right, so…" Katie's voice drifted away as Ginny sank down below the window and sat down on the cold, snow-covered ground.

_What am I going to do?_ Ginny thought. She pulled the cloak off and made her way back to the castle.

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"You did _what_?!?" Hermione yelled throughout the Gryffindor common room.

"Hermione!" Ginny whispered loudly, "be quiet!"

"Sorry, sorry," Hermione apologized, not truly focusing on her volume. "But Ginny, how could you do that? What were you thinking?"

"I don't know, Hermione, I just don't know," Ginny said, shaking her head at her foolish actions. "It's just, I know that Harry and Katie shouldn't be together. It's just so… weird."

"Ginny, you've no right to think that! You don't know! And although, yes, I find it rather odd, they could be very happy right now!" Hermione replied. Seeing the immense disappointment on Ginny's face, Hermione said, "I do believe that you and Harry should be together, but Ginny, since when have you been the jealous type?" Hermione was truly curious.

"Since I saw them kiss on the Quidditch pitch, Hermione," Ginny said to her, not wanting to reveal the mysterious book she found in the library. She was beginning to believe that the book had contributed to her foul actions.

Sighing, Hermione said, "When are you going to talk to Harry, Ginny? You have to. Soon."

"I can't imagine what he thinks of me right now, Hermione! What should I tell him? Perhaps I should just avoid him. Yes, that's probably best," Ginny said, coming to her own conclusion.

"No, no, no, no. Ginny, you must talk to him. It's not fair of you to destroy their date and then not explain yourself. This could be the time to tell him how you feel," Hermione said.

"I can't Hermione, I just can't. I'm going to bed," Ginny replied, leaving the comfort of the warm cushion. "I'll see in the morning." Seeing Hermione open up a book and begin reading was her cue to leave. Ginny walked toward the girls' dormitory entrance when she heard the portrait door open. She heard a familiar laugh that made her jump behind one of the walls in the entrance to the dormitory.

"Ah, so sorry, but I think I left my bag down at dinner. I'll be right back, Harry," Katie cooed. Ginny heard the portrait door open again and then the sound of weight hitting a cushion.

"Hermione," Harry asked, "have you by any chance seen Ginny anywhere? I didn't see her at dinner."

"Oh," Hermione hesitated, "hello, Harry. Um… I haven't talked to Ginny in a while. Why are you looking for her?"

"It's nothing," Harry sighed. Ginny peeked around the corner of the wall and gazed at Harry. He truly looked distressed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Hermione asked.

"No!" Harry answered, a little too quickly. "No, really, everything's great! So, um, what book are you reading?" Ginny smiled as Harry used the exact technique she had used so many times on Hermione. Just getting Hermione talking about books will stop any personal conversation.

Ginny made her way up the stairs, pulled on her pajamas, and plopped down onto her four-poster bed. Sighing, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

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_Ginny was walking in a deserted hallway, Harry on her arm. Suddenly Harry was pulled away as a gust of wind worked its way through the corridor. _

"_Ginny! Ginny, over here!" Ginny turned her head and looked at Hermione. "Ginny, you've done it! Katie's crying in the bathroom right now!" Hermione smiled at her and walked away. Though she would think that guilt would sweep through her, Ginny smiled a mischievous smile and walked over toward the library. She wandered around, looking for something yet not knowing exactly what that something was. Comprehension dawned on her and she sat down at the nearest table. _

_Ginny laid her bag on the table and dug inside it. Her hand hit something hard and she pulled it out: a book. The title, __**Scheming and the Art of Sabotage**__, shimmered brightly on the cover. _

"_I owe it all to you," Ginny said, gazing at the book._

Ginny woke up and practically jumped out of her bed. Slightly shaking from her odd dream, she got dressed. She sat down on her bed and thought about the dream. _What did that mean?_, Ginny thought to herself. _I'm supposed to use the book. That's how I'm going to win Harry over_, Ginny concluded. She grabbed her bag and put it onto the bed. Reaching under the mattress, she felt for _Scheming and the Art of Sabotage_. When her hand finally felt it she pulled it out. She stared at it for a moment, and then shoved it into her bag.

Ginny swiftly glided down the staircase, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone in the common room. Making sure that she was not going to cross Harry's path, she exited the room and headed down to breakfast.

Ginny strolled into the Great Hall, spotted a seat open across from Hermione, and sat down. "Good morning!" Ginny said.

"Well, you're sounding quite cheerful, considering last night. What's up? Did you talk to him?" Hermione replied, obviously excited at the thought of Ginny working things out with Harry.

"No, not yet. I've just been thinking about things," Ginny smiled to herself, thinking of the book in her bag. She looked at Hermione as her smile faded off her face in disappointment.

"Oh, really? And what are some of those-" Hermione was cut off by a loud voice coming from the entrance of the Great Hall.

"Oh, look! There are Ginny and Hemione, why don't we go sit with them?" Katie squealed. Ginny's smile left her face as she snapped her head in Harry's direction. She watched as he hesitated but was then pulled along by Katie.

Katie plopped herself down next to Hermione, and Harry next to Katie. "So, how are you all? Oh, Ginny, I missed you at Madam Puddifoot's yesterday! Harry told me you ran off to Hermione, but I'd just like to let you know that it was nice to catch a glimpse of you," Katie laughed. Hermione looked at Ginny with wide eyes and then circled her head around to Katie.

"Oh, um, yeah, I only stayed for a moment to give Harry something," Ginny lied.

Ginny looked at Harry, who only looked away when their eyes met. "Yeah, Harry told me that you were giving him a message from Ron," Katie said, completely ignorant to the tension that was developing at the table.

"Yes, yes, that was all," Ginny lied once again. But with each lie, Ginny could see Harry's lips tighten.

"That reminds me, Ginny," Harry said, teeth clenched. As her name slipped out of his mouth, chills went up her spine. Harry had never said her name with such fury before. "You haven't given me my cloak back." Harry gave Ginny an angry look. Katie and Hermione were both looking at her as well, waiting for an answer.

"Right, right. I'll get that back to you really soon," Ginny said, shrinking down into the bench. Hermione looked slightly confused at Harry's sudden comment, but not as confused as Katie seemed. She seemed to have no idea what this so-called cloak was.

"No Ginny, I'll need it for tonight. Why don't we go up to the dormitory and get it now," Harry said, not making it a request, but a command. Ginny jumped up when Hermione kicked her under the table. Harry stood up abruptly, and led the way out of the Great Hall. He stopped just outside its entrance.

"I think it's time we had a little talk, Ginny," Harry said, anger seeping out of his voice.

"No, how about we do this later. I still have to finish up an essay for Snape," Ginny replied as she darted outside and out of sight.


End file.
